No thanks.

I didn't even really want him in his prime. I wouldn't bother with a winger, the likes of Martinelli and maybe Hutchinson should have those back up roles reserved for them. Our focus over the next couple of windows should be to clean house and sign a new CF and CM.

goon wrote:

I didn't even really want him in his prime. I wouldn't bother with a winger, the likes of Martinelli and maybe Hutchinson should have those back up roles reserved for them. Our focus over the next couple of windows should be to clean house and sign a new CF and CM.

very much this.

goon wrote:

I didn't even really want him in his prime. I wouldn't bother with a winger, the likes of Martinelli and maybe Hutchinson should have those back up roles reserved for them. Our focus over the next couple of windows should be to clean house and sign a new CF and CM.

Yeah we have plenty in the wide positions at the moment.

Somehow it sort of feels like we need a 10 again. Just a completely different one to Odegaard. Someone who can do what Laca is doing but maybe who can also run and score loads of goals and last 90 minutes would be ideal.

Nah this would be just tinkering at this point. CF and CM, new manager or new backroom staff at least next everything else is potentially there.

Just play Øde higher up like Laca when he plays and not as a third CM.

Ode just needs a bit of confidence, he's fine otherwise and has done quite well off the bench in the last couple of games. It's not like there's a ton of better number 10s with lots of end product out there anyway.

Vlahović/Isak/Osimhen would give us what we need from #9 position in this system. They all have the finishing of Aubameyang and the link up/hold up play of Lacazette.

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Just play Øde higher up like Laca when he plays and not as a third CM.

He doesn't give you any sort of physical presence though and he naturally drops back into midfield. I'd like to see us try to turn Odegaard into a Modric type player.

goon wrote:

Ode just needs a bit of confidence, he's fine otherwise and has done quite well off the bench in the last couple of games. It's not like there's a ton of better number 10s with lots of end product out there anyway.

He's a very good player to bring on when you've got a lead. Technical and pretty safe in possession, hard-working, little bit of threat, not going to foul things up too often. Not much sense of difference-making energy at the moment.

Qwiss! wrote:

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Just play Øde higher up like Laca when he plays and not as a third CM.

He doesn't give you any sort of physical presence though and he naturally drops back into midfield. I'd like to see us try to turn Odegaard into a Modric type player.

I'd try that too in the long term, but it's still hard to argue that he's not more valuable as a #10 than Lacazette at the moment. I think we need more of a creative link up there to avoid these long spells during games where we withdraw into our shell again and create nothing.

Rumours that Chelsea are sending Saul back in jan. Id take him on loan here for the rest of the season and if he does well we could just buy him.

In which case he wouldn't do well and we wouldn't buy him.

Klaus wrote:

Qwiss! wrote:

He doesn't give you any sort of physical presence though and he naturally drops back into midfield. I'd like to see us try to turn Odegaard into a Modric type player.

I'd try that too in the long term, but it's still hard to argue that he's not more valuable as a #10 than Lacazette at the moment. I think we need more of a creative link up there to avoid these long spells during games where we withdraw into our shell again and create nothing.

Lacazette is the main reason we've started to create more chances in recent weeks. Odegaard needs time and patience but at the moment he's contributing very little, I like the idea of converting him to a CM too though, would suit his temper in game.

Odegaard is definitely the better option. Laca is working at the moment as a sort of blunt force instrument but Odegaard is capable of so much more potentially in terms of bringing the other forwards into play. I can wait for him to get his mojo back but he need's to at the very least match old man Laca's energy levels in the meantime, I was a little disappointed by how little he was pressing against Watford, even in our own half. Unusual for him as he's normally very disciplined about his role.

Vlahovic in Winter window 21/22 with his contract running out in the summer
Hijack Chiesa in Summer window 22 with his contract expired (circumvent Juve obligation to buy clause, relies on Juve having an absolute shit season (they are thus far) while we glam it up with CL qualification, a trophy and Adidas diplomacy)
Bellingham in Summer window 23 with two years left on his contract (Partey replacement, hopefully we are playing like big boys in Europe by this time and Bellingham hasn't moved/signed anything)

...back to reality

KingslandBarge wrote:

Vlahovic in Winter window 21/22 with his contract running out in the summer
Hijack Chiesa in Summer window 22 with his contract expired (circumvent Juve obligation to buy clause, relies on Juve having an absolute shit season while we glam it up with CL qualification and a trophy)
Bellingham in Summer window 23 with two years left on his contract (Partey replacement, hopefully playing like big boys in Europe by this time and Bellingham hasn't moved/signed anything)

...back to reality

If not Vlahovic then Haaland, and bugger reality.

KingslandBarge wrote:

Vlahovic in Winter window 21/22 with his contract running out in the summer
Hijack Chiesa in Summer window 22 with his contract expired (circumvent Juve obligation to buy clause, relies on Juve having an absolute shit season (they are thus far) while we glam it up with CL qualification, a trophy and Adidas diplomacy)
Bellingham in Summer window 23 with two years left on his contract (Partey replacement, hopefully we are playing like big boys in Europe by this time and Bellingham hasn't moved/signed anything)

...back to reality

Vlahovic's contract runs out in 23
Chiesa wanted Juve only, Liverpool Chelsea and especially Bayern are on his case anyway. Think the obligation already kicks in if he plays 60% of matches where he's available ie he's theirs
If we replace Partey as a 30 year old three years after signing him I'll be disappointed. Would be a great signing anyway but similarly realistic as the others